It was what everyone expected, what Dwight Howard had to expect going when he returned to the Amway Center Tuesday — Magic fans are still angry about how he forced his way out of town, they felt jilted and they looked at Tuesday as their cathartic outlet.

Those fans didn’t miss an opportunity. And this was not a mix of cheers and boos — it was all boos.

Howard was booed during the introductions (as you can see in the video above).

The boos got louder every time he touched the ball in the first quarter, but Howard played through it pretty well with six quick points on 3-of-4 shooting. He had a big block of Tobias Harris — they guy now wearing No. 12 in Orlando.

“Big Baby” Glen Davis was chirping from the Magic bench at Howard and the two of them had a running dialogue that we can’t reprint here.

By the end Howard had owned the game — he had 39 points and been sent to the line 39 times (tying an NBA record), but he hit 25 of those free throws and that propelled the Lakers win, 106-97.

Howard all day talked about trying to move on, saying that he loved Orlando and the fans but what happened in the past was in the past. He echoed that after the game. Of course, it was easier for him to say that with the Lakers having won and played well enough lately to put themselves back playoff chase.

Magic fans had not moved on yet and this was their chance to vent. They wanted to make sure he knew how they felt.

He did. Earlier in the day Howard talked about wanting to go out to dinner in Orlando but deciding to stay in and eat at his home in the area with his family. He knew the reaction in public.

Maybe that will die down in the coming years. But not on Tuesday night.

The Magic have great loyal fans. I’m not a Magic fan but I live in Tampa and every time I head over to Orlando to watch my team the Magic fans turn out in force to cheer for their team even during a rough year. Props and respect to Magic fans for staying loyal and not being “front-runner bandwagon” fans that jump ship when their team is struggling.

oh…look who it is…flacidbucs…magicsuxxx…chump…whatever…about time you showed your ugly mug.

so…damn, dude…last time, i remember you chirping away about the magic having a better record than the Lakers (and will end up with a better record,etc)…Lakers having no shot at the playoffs and several other fallicies. your team has gone something like 6-30 since Xmas…haha, ahhhh…hey man…youre used of this abuse. so its no biggie.

You have been wrong, magicsux. so wrong. loser. how about you to continue to STAY on your bruised up knees and continue to service…well, everyone.

@lounge
You gta remember, this is the magic we are talkin about here bruh. If their is one thing they are used too doing……… It’s SUCKING!!! So it won’t be much of an adjustment for them. 39 & 16 and most importantly the W along With those dominant numbers. Looks like DH got the last laugh on all of those SALT WATER GEECHEE’S in Orlando!!!

Methinks that the mocking of a number of laker fans here are directed more at sour-graping-Laker-hater Magic fans (see magicbucs and magicfanwhatever) who continue to troll Laker news articles, rather than the franchise itself.

Foul: The Orlando franchise deserves at least as much criticism for failing twice to keep a dominant center and build around him. Magic fans can boo and cry all they like, but they still have to recognize the simple fact that their team’s management is to blame for O’Neal and Howard leaving.

danny: Of course the crowing about your Clippers isn’t the same thing, right? Because first your team would actually have to have won something to be relevant like the Lakers. Your team might go further than the Lakers this year, but they still won’t get out of the WC and the Lakers will still have 16 banners to the Clippers’ 0.

@manchester: Well said. The operative word there is: CRITICISM. However, getting dannymac’s gist (for me, him being a Clipper fan is irrelevant in this argument), I don’t think that MOCKING them would be right.

But yeah, I admit I like that uppercut you did there in your last paragraph.

It doesn’t matter who the Lakers beat a W is a W. Orlando made billboards, had every reporter in town at D12’s arena, made jerseys and acted like it was a game 7. Every team gets up like a playoff game vs LA.
39 and 16.

How appropriate that the arena is called Amway. Because the primary reason behind all the booing is representational of shoppers jeering a former door greeter for leaving Wal*Mart tm and going to work for Target.

yea lakers are doing great this year. they have beat 3 of the worst teams in the nba and 2 of them just barely. go ahead lakers fans feel great about a win over the 2nd worst team in the nba. that just show how far the lakers have fellen. i really hope howard leaves after this season. he wont but that would be karma for you loser laker fans.

Poor Orlando Tragic had a tragedy last night as Dwight Howard came back to make the Tragic fans suffer more disappointment that their franchise was too stupid to surround Dwight with a real team instead of a bunch of losers. Too funny how Howard made a majority of his free throws as Hack-a-Howard didn’t work for the Tragic jerks.

Howard is looking better every game, his back is healing up nicely. Hey Philly how’s Bynum working out for you? Nice to see Howard take Kobe’s advice to bust their behinds. Maybe next time the Tragic bring in a great player like Shaq or Howard they’ll surround him with a team, not penny loafers!

Howard was so awesome last night that Kobe could take a game off. Howard was so great he overcame the abysmal coaching of Dumbtoni!!! Howard was so great he overcame the total lack of defense by Trash Nash and Steve Flake!!! Howard is so great it’s great to be a Laker fan!!!

I have been a magic fan for 20+ years now. And I don’t care that Howard left Orlando, but Jesus he is the best center in the game and why didn’t Orlando get anybody in return for him?? I mean didnt they learn from Shaq leaving them? At least get a good/ great player in return.. Nope not Orlando they are just going to rebuild and be the worst team in NBA! And best of luck to Howard. No hard feelings here Dwight..